Employees tend to be more productive and motivated to work when they feel appreciated. Recognizing their hard work and abilities through simple things like acknowledgment, flexible work arrangements, gifts, or food will create a positive impact that can result in better productivity and optimum business performance.
Here are some ways to say thank you to your workers:
Five Ways to Express Gratitude to Your Employees
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Provide personalized gifts for your employees
Giving out personalized gifts is the best way to give thanks for your employees’ hard work. These gifts don’t have to be grand, but they should resonate with the person you’re giving them to. This is a great way to know your employees’ personalities and be able to connect with them as acquaintances, not just as workers.
One simple way is to give out greeting cards. Giving out cards at any time of the day is a heartfelt way of showing appreciation and letting them know that you’re thinking of them. You can also opt to partner with curated gift box companies that provide beautiful and useful gift boxes that contain goodies like candles, food, or other customized options.
Gift boxes have become popular over the years as they offer versatile customization options, so you can provide themed gifts for special occasions like birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and more.
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Give personal praise
Positive recognition is an essential factor in employee retention. Sixty percent of employees say recognition is important to them as much as money, and 40% say they will be motivated to work harder if they get recognized more. Simple acknowledgment in their work will inspire them to aim higher, as constant recognition of hard work can result in better leaders.
Let your employees know that you appreciate them, especially if they go above and beyond in their work. Make it a habit to say thank you often, and you can also personally talk to the employee and call out some actions that you admire.
Pointing out particular details that you like in their work will make the praise seem more genuine than simply saying “good job”. You can also highlight specific actions that you would like to see them maintain or improve – this will also serve as an example for the rest of your employees.
Thanking your employees often will help create a better work environment and make your workers’ day brighter. This will also make them happier, motivated, and more engaged with their work.
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Provide an opportunity for advancement
Employees usually want opportunities to grow within the company. It can be through additional training, cross-training, and promotions. These options should be made available to your employees to help with their career development.
When you tell your employees that you’d like to offer classes to further improve their skills and talents, they feel noticed and appreciated. They also like to represent their company as they feel it’s a big honor.
For instance, you can let them attend conferences on behalf of the company to meet other employees and executives and to also gain additional knowledge. Having these kinds of opportunities contribute to their professional growth and make them feel appreciated and trusted by the company.
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Treat workers to a free meal once in a while
Workers tend to feel good when their bosses often show their appreciation. A good way to do this is by treating them to lunch or dinner. You can either have food catered in the office or take them out during lunch hour or after work.
Providing a meal and spending time with them shows your appreciation for the work they are doing for your business. It’s also a good opportunity to be closer to them and get to know them better.
Simply treating out your employees to lunch will help create a healthy working relationship and positive work environment. It will also foster a productive employee culture and build a better rapport with them. Positive interactions like this will result in happier and more engaged employees.
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Give them the option of flexible working hours
Having flexible working schedules can make employees feel understood, appreciated and not overworked. Providing them with options to manage their time means that the management understands that employees deserve a good work-life balance. It can also result in better recruiting, retention and reduced tardiness.
Showing employee appreciation is one of the most important things to do to maintain a positive workplace. Follow these tips for various creative ways to show how thankful you are for your employees’ hard work.
